Brass and Iron
by Qualapec the She-Wolf
Summary: Alister is brass. Lara is iron...A series of drabbles on the AlisterxLara pairing.
1. Amazon

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider: Legend or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

AN: Okay. This is my first attempt at a collection of drabbles based off some plot bunnies I had. If they get good responses here then maybe I'll take the time to do a full-length fanfic about this couple.

Brass and Iron

Amazon

He'd always wanted to work for the great Richard Croft. The man was a genius, able to see beyond the boundaries of logic, science, and convention in general. Unfortunately the man died long before Alister even got to meet him. So, when Alister was contacted by an associate of one Lara Croft's he leapt at the opportunity to work for her.

At first it was solely about getting the chance to go through her father's notes and books. It was a chance at a learning experience unlike any he'd had before, even his time studying at Oxford couldn't compare to the collection said to be within Croft Manor. As for Ms. Croft he hadn't been expecting much. Either she was some airhead socialite or an eccentric recluse with a taste for the occult.

He sure as hell hadn't been expecting an Amazon princess.


	2. Agony

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider Legend or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

Agony

It started out as a casual thing. She hadn't known him as long as she had Zip, so there was no worry of ruining any sort of friendship. At first that revelation hurt, but after a while it stopped mattering to him. He looked foreword wholeheartedly to their meetings about once a month. She made him happy. He made her happy. Mutual happiness. There didn't have to be love beyond that of inevitable friendship. For a while they were perfectly happy with the arrangement.

That was until Lara was on one of her exploits. When she dove off a cliff towards a vine that would most likely snap and plummet with her. Alister realized what used to be simple fear for her safety was now coupled with a deep-seated agony at the thought of her loss.


	3. Talk

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider Legend or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

Talk

Lara didn't care about the dangers of speeding down muddy roads, the bike could handle it and there wasn't time to waste. As it stood she would only just get there in time. She was soaking wet with rain, couldn't remember the last time she'd slept, and the wounds from darts in a Chinese tomb still pounded with venom. Non-lethal but excruciatingly painful. On top of it all it was a struggle to keep the visor clean of rain. Sometimes it got so bad road and forest blended like a washed out painting.

All the while her heart beat like an out of control rabbit in her chest.

The rain died down by the time she finally pulled her bike to a large clearing beside the river. It had been frequently used once. People had worn the forest down, then left when it was no longer of use. As a result only opportunistic plants freckled the area.

Amanda and her goons were already there. Lara couldn't help but deem Amanda in her black trench coat a terrible cliche. Of course she used her talent of keeping her mouth shut. Perhaps if it had just been her she wouldn't have cared whether she pissed them off or not.

But it wasn't just her.

"Do you have the box?"

"What do you think?" Lara said bitterly as she struggled not to focus on her wounds, which had suddenly increased from a throbbing to a fiery sting. Her patience was officially shot, "Now where is he!"

Amanda thoughtfully bit her lip as though she was trying to figure out if there was any way she could get anything else out of this arrangement before turning over her leverage. She must have decided anything that could be gained wasn't worth incurring Lara's wrath any worse then it already was. With a jerk of her head two men came from behind the crowd. Alister was between them.

At first glance he could have been dead. All pale skin and limp in the arms of his captors. Only when the tossed him into the muddy ground did he give any sign of life. He curled up into a fetal position and would have hugged himself if his hands weren't cuffed behind him. His left shoulder was dislocated and useless. A dirty bandage was wrapped around his head and eye, getting dirtier by the second as mud seeped into it. His one useful eye varied between moments of dilated delirium and squeezing tears out.

Lara's breath caught, unsure of what to do. "You bitch!" She yelled, "You promised you wouldn't hurt him." Automatically she had knelt down to the man on the ground, and placed his head in her lap.

Amanda snorted, "You called to tell me you were behind schedule. The new deal simply said that we would meet here at this time. Nothing was said about not hurting him then. You should be grateful this is all we did with a loophole like that."

"I won't forget this, Amanda," Lara growled.

Amanda, seeming undisturbed, took a moment to study her perfectly manicured nails. "It was interesting however. We tried a variety of...methods. We got him to whine, cry, blubber, beg for mercy," She looked at Lara, "But even when threatened with a gun to the head he didn't say a thing."


	4. Whoops

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

Whoops

Alister anxiously paced the hall outside of Lara's bedroom, frequently taking his glasses off and cleaning them frantically before placing them back on the bridge of his nose. Of course the spectacles were only removed seconds later, the process repeated.

Lara was going to kill him. And if not her then Winston would pump a few loads of buckshot into him. If both of those assassination attempts failed then Zip would no doubt tease him till his ears bled.

They'd never really considered the possibility. They'd been careful. There seemed no need to bring up such an uncomfortable topic...Although in retrospect it might have been wise to plan for such an occurrence as this. It would have taken a great deal of the anxiety out if he knew exactly _what_ would happen.

When she finally came out Alister's heart was trying to decide between stopping completely or beating so hard as to come entirely out of his chest.

Lara smiled, "You don't have to look so pale, Alister. I'm not pregnant."


	5. Passion

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

Passion

Lara was a little perturbed when she saw Alister in her room. She was much too tired for what he was offering, and the last thing she needed was some sex-starved man begging. Lara didn't think her fuse was long enough to deal with that.

"I'm not in the mood, Alister," She tried to keep her tone gentle, though it probably came out much snappier than intended.

"I know...I just noticed when you came in you hadn't treated the cuts on your legs...They might become infected."

"Fine," Lara said before sitting down. Wary of what this might lead to but also unwilling to stay up late fumbling with disinfectants and bandages.

He was gentle as he applied everything from gauze to band-aids, careful not to hurt her in any way. The only thing that kept her awake was the sting of the rubbing alcohol, which he couldn't do anything about. But then something interesting happened as he placed the last of the band-aids on her leg; his hand accidentally brushed her bare skin. Lara couldn't contain the small quirk of lips when he looked up at her, blushing something fierce. Experimentally, he ran a hand down the bare part of her foreleg, to see her reaction. The smile widened, partially because it felt good, and partially because his hand was shaking as he did it.

Whatever she did, it gave him the go-ahead. His hand brushed her leg for longer lengths of time. After a while he started using both hands, always careful to avoid her injuries. By the time he worked his way up to undo the holster straps on her thighs the nervousness was gone completely, replaced by a passion so thick she could breathe it.


	6. Breaking

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

Breaking

Alister was just getting off the plane when he got the first call. Zip was calling to tell him that Lara was heading off to Egypt and that she wouldn't be reachable by phone for a while. Alister had thanked him for the call and used his long mastered art of pushing his fear for her aside. But even still when he ordered a sandwich at the airport before heading to the conference he couldn't quence the unease in his gut.

He was eating breakfast in his room two days later, trying his best not to give Lara running around in Egyptian tombs too much thought, when Zip called again. This time the call informed him that they'd lost contact with her yesterday. Nobody knew where she was. Again, Alister thanked Zip and hung up the phone. And again, he pushed his fear aside. She was Lara Croft, the Amazon princess that he would never dare call his own, she would be fine. She would find a way to survive.

His phone rang once again, unfortunately while he was listening to a speech. Anxiety became the better of reason and he squeezed his way out of the crowded auditorium to the outside hall. Where it was no doubt quiet. Zip called to tell him that Lara was last seen within the Temple of Horus, and the Temple was last seen on the news, the tunnels within seemingly to have collapsed due to a massive earthquake. The rescue team was still digging.

Alister was getting on the plane when his phone rang for a fourth and final time, informing him that the memorial would be on Sunday...

And in that moment Alister could have sworn he heard the sound of something breaking.


	7. Shadow

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

Shadow

Alister's mother had drowned herself in whiskey too. He locked himself in a dark room, and poured the burning amber down his throat. The alcoholic delirium eventually carried him to a place where Lara was still there. Standing there, smirking at having cheated death once again. He could even feel her touches. Her hair in his hands.

But all he would wake up with was the feel of someone driving an ice pick into his head. Thrown back into the cruel reality where he was without her.

If he hadn't been so afraid of it, he probably would have just rolled over and died. No. Not suicide. Just...died. His fear was the only thing that kept him grounded to his will to live.

He knew that without that piece she'd ripped out of him he was naught but a shadow of his former self.


	8. Ghost

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

Ghost

The sight of a ghost leaping from building to building in Paris whilst simultaneously being chased by a police helicopter gave Alister a spark of life, of hope, he hadn't known had been left in there. Before he knew it he was on a plane for France. It was a long shot, there were a lot of athletic women with brown eyes and hair in the world. But this was all he had left...

When he got there he got as much information as he could. Searching with the desperation of a man grabbing for a rope in a maelstrom. Finally he got a lead on an abandoned containment facility in the outskirts of town. With creative driving he got there in under an hour.

He arrived just in time to see a stunned Lara staggering out of a building, soaked in blood that couldn't have been hers. Nervously he approached this apparition, for fear it would simply vanish like she so often did from his dreams. Nothing was said as she walked over and clung to him, and he to her. Tears fell from her eyes, onto his coat. Automatically he knew the source of her pain. He'd just lost someone himself, after all.


	9. Forever

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

Forever

Alister drove as carefully as humanly possible on the way back. Lara had instructed him that they could not attract attention; she was still a wanted woman. He followed these orders to perfection. How could he get her back only to lose her so soon?

"Alister..." She said after a long while.

"Yes..."

"I need time..."

"I know."

"Will you wait, just a little while? Until I feel sane again?"

Of course he would. After knowing what a wreck he was at the thought of never even seeing her again, sex was the last thing on his mind. He was happy just for her to be breathing. He would wait. Wait until the stars burned cold.

Despite all this, "Yes. Of course." Was all he could say.


	10. Silence

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

AN: Sorry for such the long wait. I'm sorry to say I briefly ran out of ideas for this, as my muse was preoccupied with other stories. But, here it is, in time for Valentine's day, although this isn't the happiest one. And I have a few more chapters in mind for this now, so...rejoice, faithful readers!

Silence

Silence is a terrible thing. With time it can erode bridges; slowly, painfully create a divide between people. One that can never be recovered...

She never spoke about what happened in Egypt. For a while she distanced herself from everyone. Including Alister. He couldn't shake the feeling that the woman he pulled out of the gutter in Paris was not the same woman whose loss he'd nearly died for. They exchanged words. Few, far between words. Almost all of them work related.

He knew he promised he'd wait. He kept telling himself that she just needed more time. But he was an archeologist, a scientist like any other and driven by a need to _know_. They were in the library, discussing Incan ruins with a casualness that was like ice compared to the way they had been...once.

Alister didn't know what came over him. "What happened in Egypt?" He'd meant to stop there, but continued despite himself. "What happened in Paris? Who was it that died?" He was out of control now, and begging, "Please, Lara. I can help you."

Her reaction was colder than he'd ever thought her capable of, "'I can help you'? You've never seen anything beyond the walls of a library. What darkness, what death, what _blood _have you seen in your life. What blood have you _spilled _in your life? No. You can't help me."

What hurt most was that she hadn't even looked at him when she said it, or even looked away, just kept focusing on the computer in front of her. As if he meant nothing.

A flash of anger flew through him. True he did not live the life she did, but who was to say that she knew loneliness, darkness and pain any more than he did. In this rare anger, he spoke cutting words he would always regret."...I'm sorry Lara. I didn't mean to ask you who died. I meant to ask what his name was and why you were so bloody close!"

Her fist smashed into his cheek, smashing nerves and flesh between bones, knocking his spinal cord around a little, and throwing him clean out of his chair.

True, silence was a terrible thing, and could slowly erode bridges over time. But breaking it could burn them, irreparably, in an instant.


	11. Guinevere

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

Guinevere

Lara stood quietly in the moonlight, observing the odd charcoal-black metal that made up her newest prize. It was in her room, resting in bulletproof glass above the fireplace. She stood before the weapon in admiration. This was a weapon that had felled empires and led them to creation. Lara was only the latest in a long line of men and women to wield it.

A new purpose had been found, she slowly felt she was regaining the stride she had once had.

"You changed the locks again..." A soft voice commented from behind her. Alister. He was probably the last piece of the puzzle she'd made out of her life after Egypt. She had no idea who he was to her.

"Yes," She admitted, she had adjusted the mechanism that lead to a tunnel from the library to her room to a code that no one but her knew, "I decided it would be safest if you had a secret route to this room. It's where most of our guns are stored."

He walked up beside her, keeping his distance. They both remembered cutting words, bruises that had taken a long time to heal, only to leave scars behind. "It's magnificent." He commented, staring up at Excalibur with awe.

"Yes." She agreed, absently.

"Lara," he began softly, "Assuming you're Guinevere, who am I to you? Arthur or Lancelot?"

The meaning to anyone who knew the legend was clear: was he the lover who Guinevere felled a kingdom (however inadvertently) to be with, or was he the husband that she lost because of her own selfish desires.

She had no answer for him.


	12. Tea

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

AN: It's been a while since I've done one of these. I kind of wanted a slightly happier one, as the last couple drabbles that I've done have been kind of depressing. So...the next couple will be kind of happy.

Tea

Alister calmly sipped at his tea. He was relatively certain Lara didn't see the shaking of his hand as he brought the cup to his mouth and brought it back down again. It rattled ever so slightly at the cup. Rather good considering how he was practically a wreck on the inside.

Lara was sitting in bed. Her left arm and leg were both in braces. She picked disgustedly at the tomato soup in front of her. Winston had made it for her, and normally she loved his cooking. But she was nauseous at the thought of food, and the doctor had specifically said that she was to be on a liquid diet for a while. Someone telling her to do something was probably the best way to make sure she didn't do it.

She was, however, drinking the tea that Alister had made for her.

After staying up all night with the doctors to make sure they didn't give her anything she was allergic to, miss a vein with a needle, and stay by her bedside until he fell asleep in his chair with the most adorable expression on his face...it was the least she could do.


	13. Time

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

Time

Lara had always been strong. She was used to being stronger than mountains, stronger than tombs, stronger than magic, and even stronger than gods. There wasn't a bloated ego, just a surety. A warrior code stating she would conquer anything that came between her and her objective.

Strength-_her_ strength-was what she lived her life by.

Standing in the middle of a graveyard, staring at the dark slab of marble in front of her, she suddenly wasn't so sure.

For the first time in years...she was riddled with doubt.

Behind her the rain-soaked grass whined lightly against new shoes. "Hello, Alister..."

The shoes were new, but years of locking himself in a library with an eccentric heiress had taken their toll on his fashion sense. He wore his usual red shirt under a pinstripe suit-jacket and a poorly tied tie. The jacket was at least two sizes small, even for Alister's thin frame. His hair was the usual electrified porcupine, maybe even a little more tussled than usual. The most organized part of the entire ensemble was the bouquet of roses in his hands. "I, um...brought some flowers."

Despite everything, Lara smiled. She found it amusing that a man who was so...wonderful when they were alone, or so whiny and self-spoken over the headset could also be so uncertain of himself. "Are they for me or him?"

He came up beside her, "Him. I would have brought some for you as well if I thought you wanted them. But the last time I brought you flowers you hit me."

"Yeah..." she forced a smile, and turned to him, "Alister, you're always talking about how you want to retire someplace warm? Spain, France, Hawaii, Tahiti; they're all wonderful places. I'd recommend Thailand. It's beautiful there. But lets face it, you're rather sensitive, and it's a third-world country."

"Lara-"

"Or someplace booky? I have friends in Universities around the world. I'll get you teaching at any one of them. Archeological digs that don't involve danger and shooting, doesn't that sound fun?" Lara met his eyes, "Wherever you want Alister. I'll buy you a plane ticket, a house, and enough money to live comfortably for the rest of your life."

He raised a dark eyebrow, "Anywhere?"

"Yes!" she practically jumped on it. "Anywhere you like!"

"Well," he nervously pushed his glasses farther up his nose. "If that's the case, I would like a plane ticket _back_ to Great Britain. Abbington to be specific. That's funny. One would think the _Countess_ of Abbington would know that. I do _work_ for you, you know."

She frowned and swallowed, "Anywhere but there."

He took his gaze away from her, glancing at the gravestone, "It wasn't your fault, Lara. He made his choice."

"He was my _friend_. I should have done more," her voice cracked up as she spoke, her resolve weakening. Lara couldn't cry, but the feeling deep in her chest was the closest she had come in a long time. "I thought I was strong, Alister. I'm not-I'm _weak_." The last word was spat with more venom than pain.

Alister did the one thing she didn't expect him to do. He'd always been overly careful not to touch her in public, but he put a hand on her shoulder.

She met his brown eyes with her amber as he spoke. Again, it was one of those rarities when his usual unease was cast aside in favor of her.

He spoke with a strength she forgot he was capable of, "You are _not_ weak. It's just that time is stronger than any of us."


	14. Fall

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else.

AN: This one was actually long enough to turn into a one-shot, I guess. However I decided against it on the grounds that it makes more sense in the context of the drabble series. But overall I like how this one turned out.

Fall

There are certain childhood phobias that people don't get over well into their adulthood. Alister had always been afraid of heights, specifically falling to death. How terrifying. The plunge, the fall, the ground coming closer and closer by the second, the frantic knowledge that there was no way to survive, and the sickening sound of breaking on the ground. Alister didn't even want to think about the pain associated with that kind of death.

Alister thought these feelings would get better after he started working for Lara. He'd assumed the death-defying leaps and creative rock climbing would eventually numb him to his phobias.

Naturally, they got worse.

His current situation was not helping matters.

If he tried really hard he could remember how he got there. But it was hardly his most pressing concern. He was clinging to a small niche in a cliff face for dear life, and there were men with guns below. Yes, the very, very, very far away below also had men with guns. Lara's knack for finding impossible situations at great heights had rubbed off on him. Lovely.

Everything was beginning to hurt. His hands were numbing with pain and chill from having gripped the cliff face for too long. His legs were hurting as he tried to keep his feet in place.

And then there was the fear.

It was worse than anything else. Worse even than the physical strain of holding on was the _idea _of falling. He was terrified that something would give out. Plummeting to the ground below, or the mercenaries noticing that Lara Croft's research assistant was right over their heads were both one very cruel twist of fate away.

Alister was very much in the position of his worst nightmares.

However, one new aspect was the addition of wondering just _where_ Lara was, and not in the manner he should have been. Like any good lover, he should have been worried about her. Concerned about why she hadn't shown up yet for _her_ sake...But he wasn't. Lara was a survivor. If there was one thing he'd learned from his time with her, it was that she would live.

Every impossible thing she'd survived had convinced him of her strength. It also reminded him that she would do anything to survive. He'd watched the woman he shared his bed with kill people without a second thought. He knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that _no one's_ life meant more to Lara than her own. Right then, in addition to the fear of imminent death, he was afraid she had abandoned him. Left him in this nightmarish position to save herself.

He buried his face harder into the cold rocks in an attempt to keep from crying. Dirt and rock dug its way into the side of his cheek and his glasses squeaked in protest to being pressed against tiny rocks.

In that moment he decided that he didn't want to die alone.

And in that moment that chain of events became more likely. The piece of unsteady rock supporting his feet gave out with an unnatural cracking noise. He gripped the rock harder as adrenaline soured his heart rate well over safe limits. There was nothing below him. In seconds that chunk would hit the ground, and the men with guns would look up.

He heard a noise. Not knowing what the noise was, he immediately filled it in as a sound announcing his coming death. It was one thing to teeter on the edge of death, he had underestimated just how terrible it was to know it would be coming in seconds. Alister never wanted to repeat that moment of blind panic and dread. "Oh God!" He shouted, forgetting everything except that one thing.

Something slammed into his back. No gunshots. No bullets. No pain. It was a warm mass was that pressing her body against his in an effort to keep him pinned to the cliff. Apparently the sound he'd heard had not been an item of malicious intent, but her grapple hook grabbing something.

Alister almost cried with relief. "Thank..._God_. Lara..."

He could almost feel her good-natured, teasing smile. "Of course, Alister. Did you think I would leave you here?"

"Actually, yes. For a moment I did." He didn't have the will or strength to lie to her, so the truth delivered in his most exhausted voice was a decent alternative.

Lara leaned her face into his neck and shoulder, "I'm glad we've settled that then." Her voice was as tired as he'd ever heard it, and almost as relieved as his. Alister knew she was glad he was okay. She felt bad for dragging him into it and it was all going to be okay now that she was there.

They shared a moment. Holding on for dear life over a vast expanse of air.

Shouting below broke them out of it.

"You know how you always get nauseous when I fall?" The weariness from moments ago was gone as the cunning survivalist emerged.

"Yes?" Oh. God. No.

"Alister, I'm sorry. But we're going to need to fall." She wrapped a strong arm around his stomach and shifted her weight.

He took a very deep breath.

He fell with her, trusting that she would pull him up again.


	15. Shopping

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else anybody in the universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

Shopping

Shopping was a natural aspect of relationships. Sitting in an annoyingly tiny chair while one's better half tried on clothes was a trial by fire that ensured a potential mate had the patience required for a long-term partnership. It was just one of those unavoidable things that happened when two people were _together_, like sex or natural disasters.

But Lara swore that if Alister came out of that dressing room one. more. time. and said he wanted to try on a different size or something he'd seen on the way in or he wanted to go to _another_ store...well then, Lara was pretty sure she would shoot him.

The salesman came by and asked if everything was okay, every fifteen minutes like the most annoying clock on the planet.

This was domestic. She didn't _do_ domestic. It simply wasn't something she was wired for.

"You know," she called out to the dressing room. "I could call in my seamstress to get you _fitted _for a suit. We wouldn't have to waste time with this drivel."

"Lara, I'm almost done!"

That was the thousandth time she'd heard that phrase, and frankly, it was beginning to tread on some very dangerous nerves.

Lara closed her eyes in order to block out the wretched wallpaper and bad abstract art on the walls. In a great effort to control her rising headache she rubbed a practiced hand against her temples, unfortunately it did nothing to relieve the tension. A backrub. Alister was going to give her a backrub later in compensation.

She was not sitting in a store. She was soaring through cliffs in the Andes. She was swimming through caves in the Caribbean. She was ducking, twisting, diving her way against traps created by ancient peoples. She was not domestic. She was in her element. Fighting the elements.

It was time to do what she always did when life was not interesting enough for her: make it interesting.

She placed a call to Zip. Alister would preen at himself in the mirror long enough for her to get the information she needed. Within minutes she hung up, a plan formulating in her head.

"Lara," Alister began as he exited the room, "I like this coat and shirt combination, but I think it makes me look -UMPH!"

The "umph" was due to her throwing herself at him the second he emerged Lara pounced with the strength and ferocity of a practiced, very bored warrior. She kissed his mouth and neck in just the place she _knew_ he liked it. Alister was too shocked to speak aside from a few shocked noises that never quite made their way to full words. This was good; she'd heard enough of his voice that day.

Within moments the sound of protest died away in exchange for moans of pleasure from his throat, causing his neck to vibrate under her lips. His hand fumbled, stunned, for her jeans. Lara's adept hands worked the door knob. Alister had her shirt halfway off by the time they stumbled inside.

VVV

A knock echoed through the small area. "Is everything alright in there?" Every fifteen minutes. Like clockwork.

"Yes," Alister squeaked out.

"Okay, well let me know if you need anything." Footsteps getting quieter as they went away.

Alister looked at Lara, who was leaning against the mirror. The coat he had been trying on was wrapped around her shoulders, and on her face was the single smuggest expression he'd ever seen on her.

He was putting his slacks back on. "I'm sure we broke some sort of law by doing that."

"Probably. But the risk of getting caught made it that much more fun, didn't it?"

Admittedly...yes. But if he agreed to that statement it would ruin his classical standing as the person that reigned her in...However, if he told her he didn't enjoy it she might never do something so fun again. In the end, he decided it was best to change the subject. "So, what looks good on me?"

She fingered the sleeve of the coat around her shoulders. "I like this one."

Alister smiled as he buttoned up his shirt. "Yes, well, it isn't like I can put it _back_, now can I?"


	16. Target

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

Target

Alister fingered the gun like a fool. "I don't see why you're doing this to me."

Lara glared at him as she took it and loaded a clip into the .9mm. "Because currently everybody else in the household but _you_ can use one. I'll not have you defenseless if Amanda comes knocking down the door again."

He tried to distract her. "Oh, afraid she'll capture me and turn me into her bedslave, are you?"

"No, of course not. If she made you her bedslave she'd be too busy to give me trouble." They were bantering in the middle of Lara's firing range. It was a small, brick-lined, long chamber underneath her garden with one target in red at the end. Besides the target a green figure kneeled. Lara had told him the red was the hostage taker, and the green was the hostage.

Lara sighed and aimed her gun towards the end. BANG! A single, loud sound that nearly made Alister jump out of his shoes. There was one, smoking bullet hole between the eyes of the red target.

Lara handed him the gun. "Now you try."

He stared at the object like it was diseased...he had no love of guns. Still, Lara wouldn't let him leave until he used it, so he decided the best way to get rid of it was to shoot the paper. How hard could _that_ be?

Taking the weapon, he leveled it at the other end of the room. Which one of the little notches was he supposed to use to aim? The tip wavered, and the swerves became more intense the longer he had to hold the damn thing up.

Lara gave him an annoyed sigh. "Amanda won't give you five minutes to aim."

He looked at her. "Do you _mind_? I'm dealing death here."

"Oh right, next you'll tell me you knew the safety was on."

"Yes, as a matter of fact that's just what I was going to say...Now which one's the safety again?"

Lara rolled her eyes and pushed the tiny button on the side.

Alister was getting bored. Squeezing his eyes shut, he pulled the trigger. BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Alister opened his eyes. "Lara! Look, I hit the target! Hah, that was easier than I thought it would be."

Lara stared at him like he was a crazy person. "Yes, my next class will focus on hitting the _target_ instead of putting five holes in the hostage.


	17. Piano

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody in the known universe could sue me for. I own nothing.

Piano

Classical music wasn't an uncommon sound in the Croft Manor. As far as Alister was concerned, it was better than gunshots or crazy, possessed tarts blowing down the door and roughing the place up. But generally, it came from speakers or some other electronic source. Just by listening to the tune he could tell the notes were occasionally off and the timing hesitated frequently. Alister couldn't remember a time in his memory when he'd heard music coming from an actual piano.

He'd been making himself some tea (loose-leaf, not bagged) in the kitchen when he'd first heard it. Since he was having some problems translating the tablet Lara brought back and wasn't anxious to get back to work, he set out to investigate.

The manor was like a maze. Alister did his best to keep to certain routes and rarely went outside them. His room, Lara's room (arguably his favorite room), the library (arguably his second-favorite room), the main hall, the kitchen, and dining room were the places he frequented. He'd decided it was too dangerous to explore.

But now he walked calmly through the shadows and wood the color of dark amber. Old Persian rugs adorned the floor, and decorating the little tables alongside the walls were ceramics he recognized as the work of 16th century Ming factories.

Not as terrifying as he thought. He supposed his visions of the hidden places in the Croft Estate included poison-tipped darts and spinning blades. Fortunately, he didn't even spill his tea as he searched for the musical origin point.

Alister almost dropped the cup at the sight.

He knew he shouldn't have been surprised. Lara had natural grace that some women would kill for, and she had a hard time sitting still. She had a mind that was considerably brighter than most people he knew, so she wasn't happy unless she was exercising that intellect.

But _music_? The piano of all instruments? It just seemed like such a contradiction.

But there she was, Lara Croft, her gentle brows curved in focus he usually only saw when she was truly challenged. Her thin fingers glided delicately across the keys searching for auditory meaning in the old ivory.

Smiling, he walked over and placed his teacup on a safe table in the corner. Lara glanced up at him, before turning her attention back to the keys. The sound fumbled momentarily before she managed to pick up the tune. Alister sauntered over and rubbed a hand across the smooth muscles of her back. Taking the textile cue, Lara slid a little ways down the bench and he sat down next to her. She didn't miss a beat during the movement. Alister placed his own hands on the keys in preparation for a piece he hoped would complement hers. It had been so long since he'd touched a piano...he was a little worried he would muck it up in front of her.

Still, he began playing alongside her, and they complemented each other perfectly. Her pace was fast and higher pitched; his was calmer and deeper. It felt perfect. Beautiful. Alister was elated, and based off of the very large smile on Lara's face she wasn't hating it.

They finished, the final note hung in the air like a word between lovers.

Taken by the moment, Alister reached over and kissed her quickly. It was more childlike than adult, but he couldn't hide the boyish feeling in his chest.

It wasn't just lust anymore. They'd moved beyond that point a very long time ago. For a while they had been trapped somewhere between friendship and loathing. Now...'love' seemed to small a word for their relationship. It was more like they brought each other peace in the chaos.


	18. Headset

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody could sue me for.

Headset

Zip was an American. He liked coffee better than tea and he liked biscuits that went with gravy. Which was why it annoyed him to no end when the only kind of junk food Alister ever brought into his workroom was tea and those little sugar cubes. No. That was not stakeout food. It wasn't nearly caffeinated enough. Maybe that was a good thing, what with all the adrenaline that could be released while watching Lara do her thing.

But he needed coffee to stay functioning late into the night. Which was why he had abandoned Alister by the computers (under threat of death not to touch anything) in favor of getting some real caffeine. And doughnuts. He was getting doughnuts.

He was busy making coffee and ordering doughnuts when the headset (that he'd left on the counter) started beeping.

_"Zip, I need blueprints of the facility."_

He smiled. That was Lara for you, getting to the point. Zip was just about to push the output button and return her hail when Alister's voice popped up.

_"Zip stepped out for a moment. He's probably ordering doughnuts again, or that artery-hardening Grease-In-A-Box he likes so much."_

Artery-hardening! Artery hardening! The man didn't know what a good pizza looked like. Zip had half a mind to pick up the phone, tell Alister how freaking adorable he was to work with, and then remind Lara that he liked her the most.

That was when a rather interesting exchange occurred.

_"I'm sitting still, waiting for the guards to change shifts."_ There was an exasperated sigh. _"I'm so very bored, my trigger finger's itching."_

_"Do be careful. Say, is there anything I can do to, ah, alleviate your boredom?"_

_"Alister, I could have sworn we had an agreement about work and play."_

There was a sound of a man sighing over the headset and Alister said, _"Oh, we still do. But if it keeps you from jumping into a firefight prematurely I'm willing to make the sacrifice."_

Zip blinked at the headset as if some poltergeist was imitating the voices of his friends to screw with his head. He shook the head in question in disbelief. Yes. It had to be a poltergeist, because he most definitely wasn't hearing what he thought he was hearing.

Maybe it was just delusion brought on by too little sleep. That was right. He hadn't got a full night's sleep since Anya came to Lara about the dais in Bolivia.

Zip was busy working his way into denial, which was why it was a right shock when Lara next spoke.

_"Well...I've never had phone sex before."_

_"We both love trying new things."_

If he'd been drinking some proppish cup of water...he would have spewed it halfway across the kitchen. As it was he inhaled his own spit hard enough to choke on it. Gasping, he stared at the headset on the counter in disbelief. Oh hell...they were so punking him...

_"How do we start?"_

_"Mmm. Let's say we start with my mouth on your lips and steadily working downwards."_

_"My knees are messaging your thighs,"_ Lara said into the com, using the very sultry voice she used when she was trying to throw someone off their guard. She never out and out seduced someone; she had too much pride for that. But Zip was beginning to understand why Alister always got so stressed whenever she used her assets to get what she wanted. The other man had never spoken out against it, but Zip had always noticed he got a little stiff whenever she was with another guy...Oh NO! EWWW! Bad imagery! NOT "stiff"! Alister _not_ being stiff when Lara with other guys! NO! Bad, bad thoughts!

He almost screamed.

Then Alister moaned into the headset. _"I wish you were here."_ There was another pleased sound. It wasn't a normal pleased sound either, it was a very specific pleased sound!

They said a bunch of other things.

_"My lips are on those pretty shoulders of yours. My fingers are-"_

_"You guys DO know the headset is still connected right?"_

Alister screamed, and there was a sound of a chair falling over and something crashing to the floor.

_"...Zip?"_

_"Yep."_

And then were the airwaves were silent, the rest of the night oddly awkward.


	19. Dowry

Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider or anything else that anybody else could sue me for. I own nothing.

AN: Underworld SPOILERS, as well as some insinuations about what happens instead of direct spoilers...but it could be pieced together into a SUPER-SPOILER. So tread carefully.

Dowry

"Mommy, what's a dowry?" she asked long ago, carefree, as her short hair flowed across her youthful face.

Amelia Croft smiled at her. Often in the clichés the rich mother was frosty and commandeering of her daughter. The mother was a force of fashion and high society in the girl's life, or at least many treated parenting that way. Never in Lara's memory was this the way her mother acted. Amelia always treated her like a daughter first and an heiress second. It was the way it should be.

They were walking hand-in-hand through the gardens. Lara never wanted that to end.

"You're far too young to worry about that." There was a trace of some hidden sorrow in Amelia's voice; Lara was too young to place it.

"Yes, but what is it?" Even then, she'd been a persistent child.

Amelia thought about her answer for a while. This was no dim-witted rich woman, she was the Duchess of Abbington, and she thought all of her answers through with the utmost care.

Her hand reached out to trace the delicate curves of a red flower Lara didn't know the name of. "A dowry is what a woman brings to a marriage. It can be money, jewelry, textiles, even livestock depending on the culture. Although a great deal of civilizations have some kind of 'dowry' aspect to their marriage customs."

"Oh..." Lara pondered it for a moment, her brows tilting towards her nose as the idea settled. "That hardly seems fair. What does _she_ get for giving all her money to her husband?"

"She gets to share in his wealth...in theory. Classically the man takes care of the monetary affairs. But like I said, it differs."

Lara didn't like that idea very much. A woman could only get married if she was already rich, and the man took that in addition to what she gave him. Even at such a young age, she hated the idea of being completely reliant on a man for money and care. The seeds of self-reliance were already planted, all that remained for them to come completely to life was a crash in Nepal.

"Mother," she said thoughtfully as she stared at the Croft Mansion...er, one of them anyway. Was _all_ of it a part of _her_ dowry? Would she have to give her money, her beautiful home to a man? "What is my dowry?"

Amelia stared at the flower in front of her, not looking at Lara.

The memory suddenly feels colder. Lara felt so uncomfortable that she was worried all the pretty flowers would wilt.

Amelia Croft looked up.

But it wasn't Amelia Croft.

One side of her once-beautiful face had melted and twisted to the starved flesh of a corpse. A single eye bored into Lara from the pained, half-human side, while the other eye held a milky and sightless gaze. Clumps of dying flesh hung loosely from the rotting skin and muscles.

The memory no longer smelled like flowers; the scent of death, of bodies decomposing in a tropical sun, assaulted the child Lara like an armed mob.

When Amelia spoke again, her voice was gravely, straining against dry, decaying vocal cords.

"Death is your dowry, Lara. Death is your dowry."

Lara flung herself from the dream. Before her eyes were open, her hand was on her gun, bringing it up to face some unknown spectre of the night. The sheets were flung off as she sat up.

In the moonlight the gun glinted silver, a shining light in her sudden, very lost mind frame.

In return, the shadows stared harmlessly back. Her frantic breath came out in puffs, cooling skin already frozen with sweat.

Beside her, the lump in the covers stirred.

Alister made no move to touch her since he knew she wouldn't want to be bogged down during an attack. Reliable Alister, he was at his best in an emergency when staying out of the way.

"Lara," he mumbled sleepily. However, he quickly came out of it and proceeded with a caring interrogation. "It's 4am. What's wrong? Are you all right?"

Lara finally managed to calm herself and brought the gun back to its place on her nightstand. "It's nothing. A bad dream."

Whether he believed her or not...she wasn't entirely sure, but he didn't ask any questions as he settled back into place. Without warning Lara sank back down to her bed, and while she was not usually one for...cuddling of any kind, she encouraged Alister to wrap his arms around her.

_"Death is your dowry."_

Up until that night, he'd helped keep the dreams away. It made her shudder to think about what could have changed.

Lara tried to get as close to him as possible.


End file.
